Police Briefs 8/6/2014

A Ridgway, Pa. woman was recently arrested by Sayre Borough police on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to information filed with Magisterial District Judge Michael Shaw, Kodi Jo Thomas, 28, was also charged with disorderly conduct.

Police said Thomas was found to be standing half-dressed at about 6:06 p.m. Aug. 1 in a corner of the Guthrie parking lot near Brock Street. Police said Thomas acted uneasy when approached by officers, was sweaty and yelled obscenities after officers asked her to stop swearing. Police found a small strip of tinfoil inside a pack of cigarettes next to Thomas' belongings that contained residue from an unknown narcotic, police said.

Thomas was arraigned Aug. 1 by Magisterial District Judge Fred Wheaton and remanded to the Bradford County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail. Thomas' preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 12.

According to papers filed with Magisterial District Judge Michael Shaw, Luis Martinez Jr., 31, and Danica Grace Saxbury, 21, were each also charged with disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.

Police said Martinez and Saxbury were involved in a verbal and physical altercation at about 1:36 a.m. Aug. 4 in a hotel room at the Microtel on Elmira Street. Police observed two glass pipes used to inhale illegal drugs and a wallet containing $1,748 in cash in the room, police said. A wall-mounted mirror in the room was broken during the altercation, police said.

Martinez and Saxbury were both arraigned Aug. 4 by Magisterial District Judge Fred Wheaton and remanded to the Bradford County Jail, Martinez on $25,000 bail and Saxbury on $10,000 bail. Their preliminary hearings are scheduled for Aug. 19.

Man faces possession charge

A Towanda man accused of selling bath salts to a confidential police informant was recently charged by state police with possession of a controlled substance.

According to papers filed with Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark, Stephen Bertram Gordon, 21, has also been charged with criminal use of a communication facility; and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Gordon is accused of selling bath salts to the informant on June 10, 2013 on Tid Alley and Elizabeth Street for $140.

Gordon was arraigned before Judge Clark, who ordered the defendant to released on non-monetary bail. Gordon's preliminary hearing is today before Judge Clark.

Man cited for possession of bath salts

A Monroeton man is scheduled to appear today before Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark to answer a charge of possession of a controlled substance.

According to information filed in Clark's office, Robert Lyn White, 49, was cited by the state police for the above offense following an incident that occurred on Feb. 27. White was at a residence in which a bench warrant was being served on another person for an unrelated incident. During the procedure, police said, they discovered a brownish powdery substance which later tested positive as bath salts.

Woman cited for disorderly conduct

A Towanda woman accused of striking another person in the back recently during a dispute was charged by borough police with disorderly conduct.

According to information filed with Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark, Misty Lee Farney, 30, has also been charged with harassment. Farney is accused of hitting her boyfriend Mark Montgomery in the back during a dispute on July 30. In addition, Farney is also accused of setting a dish rag on fire during the incident, and dragging it around the house.

Farney's preliminary hearing is scheduled today before Judge Clark.

Man jailed on assault charge

A Sheshequin Township man was recently ordered incarcerated in lieu of bail, after being involved in a physical confrontation in the borough.

According to papers filed with Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark, Julian Manuel Acevedo, 36, has been charged by state police with simple assault; and harassment. Acevedo is accused of striking and injuring Mariel R. Acevedo on the face at their residence on July 31, as well as biting her in the neck, injuring her in the process.

Julian Acevedo is scheduled to appear today before Judge Clark for his preliminary hearing.

Man faces multiple drug charges

A Wysox man accused of selling a controlled substance to an confidential police informant was recently arrested and incarcerated on various drug-related charges.

According to two affidavits filed with Magisterial District Judge Fred Wheaton, Shane Ian Furman, 33, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance; possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance; criminal conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance; and criminal use of a communication facility.

In the first complaint, Furman is accused of selling 20 Clonazepam tablets - a Schedule IV controlled substance - to a police informant for $60 at Jackson's Trailer Court in Wysox Township on Sept. 19, 2013. In the second incident, Furman has been charged with selling Suboxone - also a controlled substance - to a police informant for $50 at Jackson's Trailer Court on Oct. 4, 2013

Furman was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Jonathan Wilcox, who ordered the defendant incarcerated in lieu of $75,000 bail.

Man accused of simple assault

A Wysox man was arrested by state police recently on a charge of simple assault.

According to papers filed with Magisterial District Judge Fred Wheaton, Robert Edward Pierce, 43, has also been charged with harassment. Pierce is accused of striking and injuring a woman on July 27 during a domestic dispute at a private residence in Wysox Township.

Pierce was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark, who ordered the defendant incarcerated in lieu of $2,500 bail.

Man charged with harassment

An Ulster man accused of making an inappropriate comment to an underage girl has been sent a summons to appear before Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark.

According to information filed in Clark's office, Bryant Harbst, 22, has been cited by Towanda police for harassment. Harbst is accused of propositioning an 11-year-old girl at his residence on July 22.

A Towanda man has been sent a summons to appear before Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark to answer a charge of criminal mischief.

According to papers filed in Clark's office, Chadwick Joseph Buynak, 34, has also been charged by Towanda police with disorderly conduct. Buynak is accused of deliberately knocking over a motorcycle owned by Chad Benjamin on June 22 as it was parked in front of Captain Jack's bar on Main Street. When they arrived at the scene, police said, they observed that the motorcycle's gas tank was dented, the mirror was broken, the turn signal was broken, and there was oil leaking from the bike. An estimate obtained later set the cost to repair the damage at $3,341, police said.

Buynak is scheduled to appear for his preliminary hearing before Judge Clark on Sept. 3.

Woman cited for harassment

A Towanda woman was cited by borough police recently on a charge of harassment.

According to information filed with Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark, Cassandra Elizabeth Jones, 30, was cited for the above offense following an incident that occurred on April 13.

Det. Al Ogden of the Towanda police reported that Jones is accused of using abusive language to a 13-year-old girl, following an incident involving the girl and Jones' daughter.

Jones is scheduled to appear before Judge Clark for her preliminary hearing on Aug. 24.

Man charged with simple assault

A Towanda man accused of striking and injuring another person during a dispute was charged by borough police recently with simple assault.

According to information filed with Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark, Joshua Alan Fuller, 29, has also been charged with harassment. Fuller is accused of throwing a phone at his wife Diane Fuller on July 20, striking her on the left side of her face, and causing a swollen welt to her left eye.

Fuller's preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 20 before Judge Clark.

Woman taken into custody

A Sayre woman was arrested by state police recently on a charge of failure to comply with sex offenders registration.

According to information provided by state police, Katrina Louise Morse, 26, was taken into custody recently for the above offense. Police indicated that Morse had changed addresses between June 9 and July 2, and failed to notify them of this information. Police reported that Morse is a convicted registered sex offender, and is required by law to inform the authorities whenever she changes her address.

Man charged with corruption

A Forksville man was arrested by state police recently on a charge of corruption of minors.

According to state police, Michael Wilhelm Nass, 46, was cited following an incident that occurred on June 24 in Worlds State Park on state Route 154 in Forks Township. Police said Nass is accused of approaching two female juveniles and making inappropriate sexual comments to them that included asking them to perform a sexual act.

Police said the girls fled the area and provided them with a description of Nass and his vehicle. The next day, in Dushore, police said Nass was spotted and taken into custody following a brief struggle. Further investigation led them to discover that Nass was wanted in Bradford County on a warrant accusing him of making a materially false statement to purchase a firearm; and unsworn falsifications to authorities.

Nass was arraigned and remanded to the custody of the Columbia County Correctional Facility in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Man accused of possession

A Philadelphia man accused of bringing marijuana into the Red Rock Job Corps Center was arrested by state police on a charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

According to state police, Richelieu Payne, 22, has also been charged with possession of a controlled substance; and possession of drug paraphernalia. Payne was arraigned and later incarcerated in the Columbia County Correctional Facility in lieu of $25,000 bail.

Woman cited for contempt

A Towanda woman was recently cited by state police on a charge of indirect criminal contempt.

According to state police, Alma Krystal Alvarado, 27, has been accused of sending text messages to an unidentified 29-year-old man, also from Towanda, between July 12 and July 15. Police said Alvarado sent the messages in violation of a protection from abuse order.

Man arrested on warrant

An out-of-state man was arrested by state police recently on a fugitive from justice warrant.

State police reported that Joshua James Swingle, 23, of Granbury, Texas, was arrested on a warrant issued from the Parker County Sheriff's Office, Texas. When he was taken into custody, police said, drug paraphernalia was discovered where he was residing.

Swingle was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark, who ordered the defendant incarcerated while awaiting extradition.

Woman suffers minor injuries from crash

Minor injuries were reported when a one-vehicle accident occurred on state Route 706 in Wyalusing Township.

According to information provided by state police, Ryan J. Chart, 26, of LeRaysville, was driving a 1995 Subaru Impreza south on Route 706 on July 17 around 4:15 p.m. Riding with Chart was Mattie E. Smith, 42, of LeRaysville.

Police said the left rear tire of the vehicle popped, causing the car to travel into the oncoming lane. Chart counter-steered the Subaru to avoid collision with an oncoming vehicle, causing his car to travel off the road and strike an embankment.

The Subaru sustained disabling damage to the front end. Chart and Smith were wearing seatbelts when the accident occurred. Smith suffered minor injuries and was transported to Memorial Hospital in Towanda for treatment.

Man charged with criminal trespass

A Laceyville man accused of stealing a rifle from a private residence has been sent a summons to appear before Magisterial District Judge Fred Wheaton to answer a charge of criminal trespass.

According to information filed at Wheaton's office, Kyle Anthony Hillard, 20, has also been charged by state police with theft by unlawful taking; tampering with or fabricating physical evidence; criminal mischief; and false reports to law enforcement authorities. Hillard is accused of making it appear as if a break-in had occurred at a private residence in Tuscarora Township he had been watching while the owner was away. The purpose of the deception, according to the report, was to cover the removal of a Savage 25 Hornet rifle and a John Deere tractor from the premises, which Hillard took without the owner's knowledge or permission. The incident occurred on June 7, and state police were eventually able to trace and recover the stolen property.

Two face drug charges

Two people accused of selling a controlled substance to a confidential police informant were arrested recently on various drug related charges.

According to information filed with Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark, Shanone Lee Furman, 27, of Wysox has been charged by state police with delivery of a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver; and criminal use of a communication facility. In addition, Furman and Joshua Michael Kepner, 28, also of Wysox, have been charged with criminal conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance; and endangering the welfare of a child.

Furman is accused of selling six tablets of the controlled substance Suboxone for $150 to the informant on Jan. 30 on the 700 block of Second Street in Towanda. During the transaction, police noted that Kepner, identified as Furman's boyfriend, was driving the car she arrived in, and there were two small children in the back seat.

Man charged with possession

A Towanda man was arrested by state police recently on a charge of possession of a controlled substance.

According to information filed with Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark, Kristopher Adam Reeves, 29, has also been charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Reeves is accused of selling about 8 grams of marijuana at his residence on Center Street in Towanda to an confidential police informant in October for $135.

Man charged with fleeing

An out-of-state man was taken into custody recently, on charges related to a traffic incident that occurred over a year ago in Towanda Borough.

According to information filed with Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark, Jimmy L. Lott, 53, of Union, S.C. has been charged by Towanda police with fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer; operating a vehicle while his license was suspended or revoked; and general lighting requirements.

The charges against Lott stem from an incident that occurred in Towanda on March 17, 2013. Lott is accused of fleeing from the vehicle he was driving after stopping at Leisure Drive. Towanda police reported stopping the vehicle, because its brake lights were on.

Police spoke to witnesses who were in the vehicle when it stopped, who said they only knew the driver as "Jim." Further investigation revealed Lott's last name to the authorities, and he had an address in South Carolina.

Man charged with unsworn falsification

A New Albany man was arrested by state police recently on a charge of unsworn falsification to authorities.

According to information filed with Magisterial District Judge Tim Clark, Michael Robert Longcoy II, 25, has also been charged with sale or transfer of firearms.

Police said that on June 25, they received a firearms investigation form filled out by Longcoy, in which he had answered "No" to the question asking if he had ever been charged with a crime the could draw a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. Police said they determined that Longcoy had previously entered a guilty plea to a theft by unlawful taking charge - a first degree misdemeanor - on July 25, 2011 before Bradford County Judge Jeff Smith, the sentence of which meets the criteria of the question on the firearms form.

When they contacted Longcoy and advised him about the firearms investigation, he informed them that he had read the question, but thought it was just for felony convictions, and didn't read further that the form further states "for any other crime."

DUI charges

The following people were recently charged in Bradford County with driving while under the influence:

Kirk Cook Manchester, 65, of Rome, has also been charged by state police with driving 60 miles per hour in a posted 45 mph zone. Manchester was charged following a traffic stop on state Route 1049 in Windham Township on June 22. Following his arrest, Manchester agreed to submit to a blood test at the Memorial Hospital in Towanda, which eventually revealed that his blood alcohol content was .126 percent on the day of his arrest.

John Robert Legge, 41, of Nanticoke, has also been charged by state police with failure to carry his license while operating a vehicle. Legge was charged following a traffic stop on U.S. Route 6 in Wyalusing Borough on July 6. Following his arrest, Legge agreed to submit to a blood test at Memorial Hospital in Towanda, which eventually revealed that his blood alcohol content was .174 percent. Legge has been sent a summons to appear before Magisterial District Judge Fred Wheaton on Sept. 2.

Richard M. Tavaska, 49, of West Orange, N.J., has also been charged by Towanda police with driving the wrong way on a one-way street, and failure to wear his seatbelt. Tavaska was charged following a traffic stop on Pine Street in Towanda on July 18. Tavaska refused to submit to a blood test on the day of his arrest.

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